India’s commercial aviation sector stands as the world’s third-largest domestic market, operating over 840 aircraft and carrying more than 350 million passengers annually. India’s pilot bottleneckThe December disruption brought into sharp view the mechanics of vulnerability within India’s aviation system. While India’s aviation expansion has intensified demands for pilots, training capacity has failed to keep pace. The vulnerability of past regional airlines underscores that challenges in India’s aviation sector remain significant. The need for a systemic solutionThe rising frequency of safety incidents indicate that India’s aviation system is operating beyond its safe design limits.

Source: The Hindu February 11, 2026 07:56 UTC